New Scientist


Common painkiller use in early pregnancy linked to smaller ovaries and testes

Tue, 08 Sep 2026 23:05:00 +0000

Taking the painkiller paracetamol (acetaminophen) during pregnancy has been linked to smaller ovaries and testes in baby girls and boys, but that doesn't mean it directly caused them or affects fertility


OpenAI has solved the Navier-Stokes Millennium problem using $15m of AI effort

Tue, 08 Sep 2026 17:58:54 +0000

One of the trickiest problems in mathematics has now fallen to AI after just days of work. The groundbreaking result was announced amid rumour after similar, but less complete work, also created with AI, was announced just hours before


Zapping the face could boost brain signalling and memory

Tue, 08 Sep 2026 17:00:00 +0000

Bursts of electrical stimulation to a nerve in the face seem to improve signalling between neurons and people's performance on a memory test


Why growing seaweed isn’t a climate solution

Tue, 08 Sep 2026 17:00:00 +0000

Some have claimed cultivating seaweed could remove hundreds of millions of tonnes of CO2. But as warming waters kill off kelp, we need to refocus on preserving what we have, a study argues


Major breakthrough made on famous Millennium maths problem

Tue, 08 Sep 2026 11:48:50 +0000

Three key findings produced in collaboration between humans and AI bring us closer to a solution to the infamous Navier-Stokes puzzle


As Star Trek turns 60, it’s not too late to discover the seminal series

Tue, 08 Sep 2026 09:30:00 +0000

Whether it's the original 1966 classic or one of its many modern spinoffs, there's a Star Trek story for everyone. Bethan Ackerley explores how newcomers can get acquainted with this daunting universe


The danger of viewing the cosmos as a mirror that shows us ourselves

Tue, 08 Sep 2026 08:00:00 +0000

It is only natural to view the world, or even the entire universe, through the lens of humanity – we’re human, after all. But columnist Chanda Prescod-Weinstein says we can appreciate the wonder of the cosmos without inserting ourselves as a main character


Super El Niño set to cause ‘terribly dangerous’ drought in the Amazon

Mon, 07 Sep 2026 17:00:00 +0000

The El Niño phase now under way will be the most damaging on record for the Amazon, scientists warn, raising the risk of catastrophic wildfires 


I made a free AI chatbot solve a decade-long maths problem in 13 minutes

Mon, 07 Sep 2026 16:09:29 +0000

After months covering the shocking rise of AI mathematics, reporter Matthew Sparkes decided to put a free chatbot to the test – and was shocked at the speed at which it solved an outstanding problem


We’re on the verge of seeing the quantum vacuum for the first time 

Mon, 07 Sep 2026 15:00:00 +0000

Quantum theory says a vacuum isn’t truly empty, but proving it directly has remained out of reach. A new experiment using immensely powerful lasers could finally expose its hidden structure – and perhaps offer clues to dark matter